Rigidity of Coxeter groups (Q4955701)

\textit{M. W. Davis} [Ann. Math. (2) 117, 293-324 (1983; Zbl 0531.57041)] introduced the action of a Coxeter system \[ (W,S)=\bigl\langle s \in S:s^2=(ss')^{m_{ss'}} =1,\;s\neq s',\;m_{ss'} \in\{2,3,\dots \infty\} \bigr \rangle \] on manifolds. In this paper, the authors prove the following Theorem. Let \(N\) be a manifold with boundary on which \(W\) acts locally linearly, properly discontinuously and with the property that the fixed point sets of finite subgroups are non-empty and contractible. Let \(f:(N,\partial N)\to (M \times D^k,M\times S^{k-1})\) be a \(W\)-homotopy equivalence which restricts to a \(W\)-homeomorphism on the boundary. If the three-dimensional fixed-point sets of \(N\) and \(M\times D^k\) can be embedded in \(S^3\), then \(f\) is \(W\)-homotopic to a \(W\)-homeomorphism. The paper is neatly written and self-contained.